Celebrity Photog Says He Was Beaten

LAS VEGAS (CN) – A photographer covering a birthday party for former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash says security guards at the Mirage Hotel assaulted him after a competing photographer complained about him.

Kyle Arbuckle says he was given an all-access pass to take photos of the event at the Mirage Hotel’s Bare Pool on July 23, 2008. Halfway through the event, Denise Truscello, a competing photographer with Wire Image, complained that her agency had exclusive rights to shoot the event, according to the lawsuit in Clark County Court. Arbuckle an event coordinator asked him to stop shooting, and to return later to review photos and discuss future events. Arbuckle says he agreed. Arbuckle says he returned to speak to the coordinator just as the performers were leaving the stage, and says Tuscello “became furious” when she saw him. She summoned a security guard, who demanded that Arbuckle delete all his photos in his digital camera, according to the complaint. Arbuckle says he refused, and guards beat him up. He is represented by Joseph Iarussi.